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June 14th to August 5th Bellhouse CrossFit will have a 12 to 17 year old strength & conditioning camp. Classes will be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 12pm to 1pm at the gym. On Thursdays, we will meet at specific spots around Baytown to practice a skill or sport. Thursdays are also about having fun. The teenage group needs to have a mix of discipline and fun in their workout routines.

Group classes will be coach led. You can rest assured that your teen will learn proper lifting techniques for a variety of exercises. Just to name a few… Bulgarian split squat, dumbbell front squats, overhead press, strict pull ups, deadlifts, and hang power cleans. There are dozens more. The daily class will consist of a warm up, teaching, and group workout. They are very similar to how we run adult population classes, but the workouts and stimulus will be very different. 

At the age of your child, exposure to many stimuli will create adaptation. The last thing to do during the summer is to dedicate all the time towards a specific skill. Youth excel when learning multiple skills at once. It is part of their training age. The brain is still developing and their body can adapt much more quickly than an adult. 

The price of the summer camp will be $210 per month or $400 if paid completely up front. You can register online by messaging [email protected]

You may also fill out our Google Form Here and we will create a profile for your child then send you the waiver to fill out. You must set up a time with Chris to pay at the gym or over the phone.

We are so excited to offer this opportunity for the youth of this area! Our professional coaching staff is happy to welcome you and your teen to this program. Parents are welcome to stay and watch during the hour, or to drop off their teen and leave. Your daughter or son will have excellent feedback on their lifting form, build healthy movement habits, understand whole health, and make some friends. We look forward to meeting you!

Who are you? Be sure to include something most people don’t know about you.

Most people do not know that I am 44 years old and have four boys. I am a leader of 8 years with Young Living Essential Oils with a team of about 5,000 members and we are always growing! I love helping people find freedom through wellness, emotionally and physically with non toxic products. 

Why do you keep coming back to Bellhouse CrossFit?

The community. I have not ever found a workout routine like this. In a group setting, Bellhouse excels. The positive atmosphere and environment is something I crave. Normally, I am the cheerleader. Here, other people are cheering me on. I love that. I previously thought CrossFit was only lifting heavy weights. I did not see the cardio side of it. I did not see the coaching side of it. I did not realize you could modify every workout and movement to fit your own needs. My sons who workout with me are 10 and 16 years old. We each have different needs and skills. We each need different modifications at different times. If I knew this 10 years ago, I would have started then.

What are the accomplishments you are most proud of since joining the gym?

Before coming here, I never lifted a barbell over my head. I needed help with groceries and carrying suitcases. Since coming to Bellhouse and being consistent with it, I feel stronger outside of the gym. I have more endurance and physical confidence. I have seen an increase in my physical activity outside of the gym too!

I have been doing less yo-yo dieting since beginning CrossFit. Now I am focused on eating for performance. I feel stronger and can even see my muscles!  I love that Bellhouse is a family setting. There are all ages, shapes, and personalities coming together for the same goal. Everyone cheers each other on regardless of where they are in their journey

I am proud the boys can see me being consistent in the gym. I love that we cheer each other on as a family. We have conversations about our own personal improvements outside of the gym. When they see me pushing hard, I believe it is helping us bond closer together. 

How did you overcome some of the obstacles in starting your health journey?

I just kept showing up. It was a matter of setting the alarm, putting on my shoes, and walking out the door. I wanted to see the smiling faces of the members in the gym. I just did it. If it was not for the community, then I would not be here. I know the boys want to be here, and that helps me continue to make it to the gym. Because I work from home, it would be very easy to stay there. I feel most creative in the morning so I would get lots of work done. Once I realized that working out in the morning helped me feel better, I made it a priority. It still fits into my schedule and I am productive throughout the day. 

What is your current focus or goal in the gym?

To continue being consistent, reduce my body fat percentage, and improve in all areas. I want to get stronger and have more endurance.

What is your favorite household appliance?

My coffee maker. It is awesome. It grinds my organic beans right before it brews!

What is your favorite home cooked meal?

My mother makes German pigs in a blanket and not what you think… It is bacon wrapped in steak, over a bed of noodles with gravy. YUM!

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

Stop being stupid. You can really accomplish more than you ever thought you could

What is your dream car?

A four door Lamborghini. 

How do I lose body fat without losing muscle?

Let us define some terms. Visually, body fat is sagging parts on your body that have no function in exercise. Think of of the body fat on your arm similar to weight of leaves on a branch. The branch has structure and stability much like your muscle. The leaves add a small amount of weight and resistance to the branch. This analogy can help us create some context around building muscles and losing fat. 

When you exercise, your internal body temperature rises, heart rate increases, blood flow increases. These are each related. When you lift weights, move with intensity, and control your body by using your brain… lots of things are going on. The hard work of your nervous system, muscular system, and skeletal system together is just part of what drives the results you see in the mirror. Why do we think we can lose fat through exercises? I do not know. It is a myth.

You lose fat through a caloric deficit in your diet. You can add to this deficit by exercising. Going to the gym and moving with intensity will increase the amount of calories that you burn daily. Let us say that you are eating a daily diet of 1,700 calories. You have a basal metabolic rate of 1,200 calories per day. That means that in order to lose body fat, you must burn more than 500 calories each day. That extra amount can be met through exercise.

Building muscle is another story. Why? Because fat and muscle are made of two completely different cells. The fat tissues does not turn into muscle. Fat does not get toned into muscle. Muscle gets toned into muscle. Fat gets “burned” by being in a caloric deficit. So to build muscle, focus on eating more protein and strength training in the gym. Here at Bellhouse CrossFit, our daily programming and coaching is centered around making you a more bulletproof and healthy human. Our strength training and intense workouts are sufficient to build muscle. It is your job to increase the protein intake to support your muscles so that they continue to grow, and to have a caloric deficit to lose the fat.

Need some help on this? Bellhouse CrossFit now offers Nutrition Coaching. We can help you build better habits with your eating and get you on the way towards your goals. Email [email protected] to get started. 

Who are you? Be sure to include something most people don’t know about you.

Ashley Williamson. Most people do not know that I am afraid of roller coasters. I really am! I’m terrified of heights. Even though I seem to be cheery, positive, and confident most of the time on the outside, I am actually very insecure. I wish more people would give me constructive criticism. This is a struggle for me because I am afraid of being seen as a failure. I know that it is beneficial and will only continue to help me improve and grow.

Why do you keep coming back to Bellhouse CrossFit?

To be the best version of myself and set an example for my kids. I want them to see me as physically fit. I want them to see that results do not come easy. You have to put in the work. The hour at Bellhouse is my favorite hobby. I love getting time to express myself in the gym. It carries me through the day. Having my husband at the gym working alongside me is a great bonus as well. 

What are the things you are most proud of physically, mentally, and spiritually since joining the gym?

Physically, I love the results since joining Bellhouse CrossFit last October. I’ve been doing CrossFit since 2017 and struggled with double unders, squat cleans, pull ups, and the dreaded chest-to-bar. Having coaches take time and help you actually understand and explain things (even if it takes multiple breakdowns) has been a game changer! The support and encouragement of everyone in the BH family is truly inspiring. They help me accomplish things that at times seemed impossible!

Mentally, you will only get out what you put in. I am pretty hard on myself, and work hard for the results I am seeing. I have learned to push past my limits while working smarter.

Spiritually, the community here is amazing! I am able to grow, make new friends, and encourage others on their health journey. I think we all work very well together and my faith motivates me to love every step of the way.

How did you overcome some of the obstacles in starting your health journey?

Setting goals. You cannot overcome anything unless you set it for yourself. 75Hard was really eye opening. My mental strength improved, my nutrition improved, and I saw fantastic results. Having a coach or friends to keep me accountable in the gym helps. I have friends that are waiting for me to show up at 5am. I do not want to disappoint them. The encouragement of the Bellhouse Family gets me there. I like that the competition at Bellhouse isn’t about anyone else. It is only about yourself. 

What is your current focus or goal in the gym?

My current focus is to improve gymnastics. I want to string together toes to bar and pull ups. I want to be sure my movements are good. I would rather listen to my body and do the movement safely and correctly instead of RXing each workout. I am at a point where I believe I can get more out of intensity than using more weight. It has taken a while to get here, and I know that using the correct technique and following the stimulus coach says will get me to my goals faster. 

When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time

With my family.

What is the first concert you attended

A Brittney Spears concert. Lots of plaid skirts and white shirts and suspenders.

What is your most used emoji.

The 😂🥰 and 🤦‍♀️

If someone were to play you in a movie, who would they be

Candace Cameron Bure

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your 18 year old self

Diet and exercise are crucial, not just for when you want to lose weight. It is literally a lifelong pursuit and you should incorporate it as you age. 

Yes, odds are that you can bike. We use the Rogue Echo bike here at Bellhouse CrossFit. It has a steel fan that is powered by your pedaling. There is no change to the resistance on this bike like the rower offers. The ease or difficulty of pedaling is entirely dependent on your fitness level. 

We have weekly workouts that utilize the fan bike. Sometimes members will opt for the rower or the run depending on how they are feeling. We recommend members to listen to their body and the coach when determining what machine to use for that day. 

This question came from a member with an injury. Running and rowing seem to be hurting but the bike feels okay. We recommend movement and exercise to continue blood flow. That will help any strained muscle heal naturally. Of course we want you to listen to your body and adjust anything if it hurts. No working through pain!

You can bike when your lower back hurts on the rower or running. You can bike if you have an ankle injury. You can bike if pulling the rower handle hurts your shoulders. There are a variety of things we can do in the gym to help you get back on the road towards your fitness goals and recovery. 

Lastly, when you choose to bike, pay attention to your cadence. The cadence increasing or decreasing across the workout will indicate your pace. Let’s say we have a workout that is calling for 15 calories. A cadence of 70 on the bike will take you 45 seconds to complete. A cadence of 60 will take you 1 minute and 15 seconds to complete. A cadence of 50 will take 2 minutes to complete. If the workout has a certain stimulus, meaning that the work needs to be done in a certain amount of time… then decrease the number of calories so you can move on the next exercise! 

Who are you? Be sure to include something that most people don’t know about you.

My actual name is Philip Matthew Kirkham. In the 70s, my grandfather loved watching Gunsmoke. His favorite character was Matt Dillon. I have not gone by Philip my whole life. 

I started CrossFit when Chris opened the gym. He used to work with us at Baytown Ace. My step son, Josh, who worked with me was also doing CrossFit at the time. At first, I was not interested in joining because I did not want to pay for a gym. I thought I could do it myself. When I learned about the founder rate and opportunity to help a new business in town and get in shape myself, I decided to join.

Joining the gym and becoming something bigger than myself aligned with my goals. The genesis of everything began in 2018. I had decided for my 50th birthday I would be fit and walk around a cruise ship without a big fat gut. Being one of the first people here in the facility was my entry into the whole thing. Josh started coming soon after, then other coworkers came. It was a lot of cameradie seeing my associates coming into the gym!

Why do you keep coming back to Bellhouse CrossFit?

My goal is to be under 200lbs by my 50th birthday. I am nearly there. I have lost 50 pounds since October 2019. I love the people here! Even in a full class of fourteen other members, the coach makes you feel like you are the only one. I am not just a number working out. The coach actually takes interest in me as a person and an athlete. If I am told to do something different, I trust Blair or Chris, and change the way I am moving. I feel safe.

What are you proud of physically, mentally, and emotionally since joining the gym?

Physically, I love the fact going from a XXL shirt to a L, and a size 38 pant to a size 31! To me that is just mind boggling. I used to not be able to even hold myself off a pull up bar. I thought I was so far gone that I could not possibly get back into shape. I have tried all sorts of exercise programs in the past. None of them worked. Here at the gym, the coaches, specifically Chris has been helping me with my mindset. I can get better and I have gotten better!

Mentally I feel like I can do anything. Before, anytime I needed to move I got tired quickly, I would get sore, I would run out of breath. Now I am not afraid of anything. I can run without getting tired. I played racquetball this past Sunday. It was the first time I played since 1992. I want my wife to get on track with everything as well. I hope that she will get on the healthy track just like me. 

Emotionally, I have no fear. I have confidence. What makes me feel good is seeing somebody who has not seen me in several months or years, and they hardly recognize me. My body has changed a lot. I still have some body dysmorphia and see myself as a fat guy. It is something I will be able to get over. My kids were blown away by seeing me in this kind of shape. 

How did you overcome some of the obstacles in starting your health journey?

My biggest obstacles are doughnuts and pizza at work. They are always feeding us there. One of the ways to get around it is not being to the kitchen where the food is. I fight the food battle every day. This 800g challenge has helped me tremendously. I feel full eating the fruits and vegetables. And eating doughnuts has nothing to do with being full. 

The hardest part is the mind game. I go to the gym, run everyday, do all this work. I think sometimes I deserve it. I would lose 10lbs, then I would go and have a doughnut. I would fluctuate my weight so much. I am committed to my goal. I want to walk around the cruise ship confidently with my shirt off. 

What is your current focus or goal on the gym?

Right now my goal is to get under 200lbs and do a muscle up. To go from not being able to support my own body weight, to being able to do a pull up is one thing. Now to do a muscle up I feel like I will be more aligned with what a CrossFitter does. I don’t know what will happen afterwards. The 200lbs is an arbitrary number. I wouldn’t mind if I was 215lbs of muscle. It is just mentally that when I am under 200lbs, I think of it as being in shape. My initial goal was to be under 220lbs because I want to go skydiving. I am going this Saturday. 

Tell me a joke.

There are two biscuits laying in the oven and the first biscuit says, “Man, it is hot in here!” The second biscuit says, “Holy crap!!! A talking biscuit!!!”

When was the last time you felt embarrassed?

In 2016, I was a truck driver leaving Kansas coming back to Houston. There was nowhere to stop during a certain stretch and I needed the bathroom. Eventually I made it to the rest stop and ran in to use the john… then it dawned on me I had not seen any urinals. I was in the women’s bathroom! Walking out, there was someone coming in. I looked her dead in the eye and said that she was in the wrong bathroom. 

What do you want to do when you retire?

Golf

Mountains or Ocean

Ocean

Last show you binge watched

Polar Opposites. A show about aliens that crash land on Earth. It is quite the commentary on our social society. 

Favorite stretch position

Child Pose 

Hello and welcome to our first “Ask Me Anything“ blog post! We will be publishing these every other Friday. Be sure to check in on those other weeks to see a Member Transformation article! These questions can be submitted to Bellhouse CrossFit via email, our Prayer Requests and Comments box at the gym, or during the story that we post on Wednesdays. Now… lets get to answering the question for this week.

When we workout, we are tearing and breaking down our muscles. Think of the body as a hard boiled egg that is cracking throughout the day. When you go to the gym, go to work, experience the day’s stressors, up until we fall asleep the egg shell is cracking. Once we sleep and wake the next day, however, the egg shell has put itself back together. It is now a whole egg again. 

The questions to ask is how do I choose what is best for my body? Should I sleep or go to the gym?

Imagine that you are consistently pushing your body in the gym. Let’s say you have a goal of improving your metcons. In order to see results, you have to exercise. Here at Bellhouse CrossFit we believe that results from exercise are going to come from your hard work and smart recovery. Smart recovery includes getting enough sleep. How much is enough? Studies have shown that 7-9 hours of sleep is adequate for adults that are exercising regularly. 

It can be difficult to prioritize sleep. It is really important to make time for it. Here is the clincher. They are both important. If you are not sleeping enough to recover from your workouts, then you are putting your body in a fatigued state and a risk of injury. Here at Bellhouse CrossFit, it is our goal for you to see results. Our focus is not just on the workouts in the gym, but your overall health. Sometimes you may need to get in a nap, or take a couple more hours to snooze so that your body gets the adequate recovery needed to take full advantage of the previous day’s workout. 

Let us help you keep your body from cracking and build a strong egg shell. Next steps? Schedule a time to come in, see our gym, and meet a coach. If you are wanting a change in your life and do not know where to begin, click here. https://bellhousecrossfit.com/get-started/

Who are you? Be sure to include something that most people don’t know about you.

I have a beautiful wife of 9 years and 2 kids. I attended the University of Houston. I am an absolute gearhead. Anything about cars. I grew up working with cars alongside my dad and grandpa. My family has been drag racing since the 70’s. I started at 18, and hope to pass to my kids one day. Of the cars I’ve owned, my favorite was a 1976 Camaro. I love working with my hands.

Why do you keep coming back to Bellhouse CrossFit?

It helps if I break it down into four categories… commitment, community, coaching, and health. I did not think of myself as a gym rat growing up. As a young person I played sports, and continued to play basketball and volleyball recreationally as an adult. Once the kids entered my picture, I stopped playing. I used to hate lifting weights. I would quit my team in high school when the off season came around. 

The commitment to start CrossFit for me needed to be a daily practice. CrossFit has become a sport for me. If i didn’t commit to coming every single day, then I would have quit just like those other sports. 

Community is incredible at Bellhouse CrossFit. My life felt upside down when I joined the gym. My priorities were out of whack. I’ve met new friends here at the gym. I can lean on other people for support. They cheer me on when I achieve a PR.

Coaching is most important for sticking with exercise. When I look at the board and see movements that I don’t understand… it is intimidating. I love being coached from the ground up. The last time I lifted weights was doing a barbell bench press in high school. Now that I’ve been here for 5 months, I’m still getting taught. The coach celebrates my accomplishments too! 

I was diagnosed at 26 years old with high cholesterol, a dysfunctional heart valve, and was surprised by this condition. After 6 years of living with this I got tired and needed a change. My doctor recently took me off of my medications. He said I was in an ideal health range. That made me feel so excited and proud of the effort I have put into the gym and my health. 

What are you proud of physically, mentally, and spiritually since joining the gym?

Physically would be my improved health. There is really hard evidence on paper that CrossFit is improving my health. Exercise has improved my heart condition. The coach talks about healthy eating at the whiteboard. I was considered a string bean by my peers. Now I can see my muscles! Gaining strength has been very cool. My biggest physical goal is to play sports with my kids as they grow up. I am excited I’ll be able to beon the field with them instead of sitting on the sidelines.

Mentally, I’ve realized anything is possible. Once you have seen success, the next time there is a challenge, you know there will be a path through. As long as you find and execute a strategy, you can make your way through.

Spiritually, it is the community. For me it is making new friends. It is amazing working out with my wife everyday. It has been a tremendous value and life giving activity for me. It is so uplifting to my spirit and our relationship. Having a joint hobby is really cool. 

How did you overcome some of the obstacles in starting your health journey?

I didn’t do anything about my condition when I learned about it. I did not hang out with the right people. They put me on medication and that’s about it. I went the opposite direction after the diagnosis. Fast forward to joining CrossFit and being committed to this journey of health. I knew that I needed to plan. I would have to change my schedule in order to attend. As well as figure out the cost of the gym to attend month after month. I sat down with my wife, Hannah, to figure out the schedule that would allow us to come day after day. I want to get my money’s worth for anything that I pay for. I bought the unlimited membership. I saw it as another layer of accountability for myself. I also experienced a mental struggle being in a new setting with new people and not understanding some of the movements. The coach’s advice has helped a lot with performing the movements.

At the end of the day, my goal is to get stronger and faster. I want to continue to improve my health. Some days I come in to push myself really hard. Some days I come in to just move. I scale.I know that however I workout, I am becoming a healthier version of myself. 

How do you tie your shoes? 

I always tie my right shoe first. Tighten the laces then bunny ear. 

Where do you want to go for next anniversary

For our 10 year anniversary I want to go to a Caribbean Resort and renew our wedding vows.

Favorite book

Becoming a Better You. Life is about self reflection and self evaluation.

Enneagram Type

Type 8, the challenger.

Tacos or Burritos

Tacos. You can eat them faster, so you can eat more. 

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